Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, launched direct threats against Greece and Cyprus on Thursday, accusing the two countries of sponsoring Gulenists (FETO) or PKK terrorists by allowing them to remain in their countries.
Citing reports in the Turkish media, Cavusoglu said that Cyprus had given permission to the Syrian Kurdish PYD party to open a representative office in its capital of Nicosia. Ankara regards the PYD group as terrorists, citing their links to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
“They should not play with fire,” Cavusoglu warned Cyprus at a press conference.
Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu.
Later, the Turkish Foreign Minister also accused Greece of providing shelter to members of the PKK and the outlawed Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), a Marxist organisation.
He also criticized the country of supporting the FETO movement around US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, which has been accused of orchestrating the 2016 coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“FETO Gulenists see Greece not only as a transit country but also as a place to settle as refugees. Greece is playing with fire by hosting them,” he concluded.
“I want to say this: they allow them to have delegations there. For this purpose, if there is an attack from their side towards us, they will pay a heavy price.”
Athens has denied similar allegations in the past.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has closed out his game against Sebastian Baez at the Australian Open, claiming a 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 win.
Tsitsipas hit 12 aces to five, but had to work for his win. He had 18 break-point chances but only took four, really taking until the third set to hit his straps.
This year, 2022 heralds three years since the Greek Museum of Adelaide, South Australia, a non-profit organization, was founded in 2019. The Museum, as a cultural institution, embraces all aspects of Hellenism in Australia. During these three years, the Museum has organized and presented seven exhibitions for the Australian public to enjoy. The exhibitions featured works by both Greek and Greek-Australian artists, collections of traditional objects, costumes, books and historical pieces from Greek-Australian immigrants.
The Greek Museum of Adelaide is an institution that promotes Greek culture and history through cultural activities (such as lectures, film nights and so on) and exhibitions. The state government, community leaders, Greek-Australians and other Australians, including the Hellenism of Greece, has recognized the substantial and practical contribution of the Museum, in the cultural life of the Greek diaspora.
At present, the Greek Museum of Adelaide does not have its own permanent building, nor a stable or permanent base from which to operate, thus exhibitions are not open to the public daily. Currently, it is presenting exhibitions from a temporary rental solution. Clearly, this temporary exhibition space solution cannot and does not cover all the needs of a proper functioning Museum.
Due to the lack of financial resources and sponsorships, the Museum’s Committee cannot enter into the purchase nor a leasing of a more appropriate permanent property. However, there is a possible solution for the Museum’s current problem and that is through the support of already established Greek associations based in Australia.
An appeal is made to those Greek associations that have very few members and therefore cannot offer many activities. The call is this: if it is likely that the association will cease to operate in the near future, we respectfully ask the association to seriously consider granting the association’s building to the Greek Museum Adelaide. Clearly, you would have our undying gratitude.
Fellow Greek associations of Adelaide, we trust that this request is reasonable. It has come to our attention that currently several Greek associations are under-operating and that some associations have transferred their buildings to the state government. Within the next five years, several associations may be confronted with this dilemma of what to do or where to allocate their property. The Greek Museum Adelaide is therefore making a request that you help our museum as real Greeks and Philhellenes.
We ask you this question: is it not better for a building to be bequeathed and found again in Greek hands, the hands of the Greek Museum Adelaide rather than in the hands of the state, which has its own means? The Greek Museum could continue to present and promote our Hellenism and to recognize and continue the contribution of the donor association.
Why should Greeks not support such an important Greek effort, especially now that our Hellenism has more than ever a need for promotion and recognition?
One more building to the Australian state makes little difference, but for the Greek Museum of Adelaide it would mean a necessary and substantial act of support.
We ask and appeal to all Greek associations to consider this call for the concession of a building.
Please contact us for clarifications and or discussion. The Council of the Greek Adelaide Museum Inc. is always open for any communication with you.
Respectfully and with appreciation,
President Chrysoula Melissinaki
You can get in contact with the Greek Museum on (0061) 0457456339 or visit http://greek-museum.com.au, https://www.facebook.com/GreekMuseumAdelaide
Peter Conistis is one of the most popular Greek Australian chefs going around. And now, he’s opened his new restaurant, Ploos, at The Rocks in Sydney.
According to Good Food, Ploos, the Greek word for sails, squeezes into Campbell’s Stores, the redeveloped dining strip beside Quay restaurant. There’s an alfresco bar and dining area with deep white lounges.
Conistis, who is well known for his scallop and taramasalata moussaka, has also drilled down on southern Mediterranean food at Ploos.
Ploos restaurant.
The chef pairs zucchini fritters with eggplant hummus, blackened chickpeas and molasses, and has a “salty-sweet” halloumi tart on the menu with rock lobster and grilled leeks.
“It’ll be my interpretation of Crete and Cypriot food,” Conistis told Good Foodlast year.
Conistis studied communications at university but eventually decided he wanted to become a chef to supply customers with good Greek food.
In 1993, Conistis took a brave step and opened his first Greek restaurant, Cosmos, in East Sydney.
Abrolhos octopus, carob glaze, taramasalata and pickled caper shoots at Ploos. Photo: Jude Cohen.
Cosmos became a hit, receiving a Chef’s Hat in the 1994 Sydney Morning Herald Food Guide within three months. It became the first Greek restaurant to receive a hat, as well as the first Greek restaurant to be included in the guide.
Conistis later opened his second restaurant, Omega, followed by Alpha, which is owned by the Hellenic Club.
His latest endeavour, Ploos, is open for lunch and dinner Wednesday to Sunday. You can find the restaurant at: Bay 7, 7-27 Circular Quay W, The Rocks.
Food critic, Simon Wilkinson, has named the top 15 restaurants in South Australia for 2021 and listed at number two is ‘eleven’ restaurant, which is co-owned by Callum Hann and Themis Chryssidis.
It’s no surprise their restaurant is on the list as Chryssidis brings his dietician expertise to the table, whilst Hann was a runner-up in the 2010 series of MasterChef Australia. Together, they have both also authored the cookbook Quick. Easy. Healthy.
Chryssidis and Hann. Photo: Johnny von Einem.
In his review, Wilkinson says that although it takes a while to ‘get your bearings’ in the restaurant, which is located on Waymouth St, once you get comfortable the atmosphere is addictive.
“The room is dark and handsome, with a cohesive mix of polished timber, marble, glass and other tactile materials in black, copper and deep green,” the food critic writes.
Later, he goes on to detail the ‘inspired’ cooking by Head Chef Dan Murphy, who has been a mate of Hann’s since they were teens in the Barossa Valley and helped him land his first restaurant job.
Eleven restaurant. Photo: Morgan Sette.
“The contemporary French cooking is realised most often as the hero ingredients arranged on a plate with a sauce added at the table,” he says.
“The magic here is the extraordinary, seductive flavours to be found in liquids with the consistency of your morning tea or coffee.”
I mean… how can you resist that? It looks like Chryssidis and Hann are definitely onto a sure thing in SA!
Liquidators are pressing ahead with the sale of alleged fraudster Bill Papas’ luxury holiday home on the NSW Central Coast, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
The Hamptons-style home in Wagstaffe is expected to set a record for the region, with agents at Central Coast Belle Property putting a $12 million to $15 million price tag on the waterfront property.
It wouldn’t be the first time the property has set a record for the Central Coast – it made history when it sold to Papas for $9.5 million in 2020.
This comes just days after Papas’ Rozelle home sold for $4.4 million by agents from CobdenHayson Balmain, acting on behalf of liquidators from McGrathNicol.
Mr Papas’ other holiday home on Bulkara Street in Wagstaffe is also expected to hit the market in coming weeks with a $9 million price tag.
The majority of Papas’ Forum empire was placed into liquidation last year amid allegations in a civil proceeding brought by Westpac and two other lenders, Sumitomo and Société Générale, that Papas had presided over a $500 million fraud on the business.
Arthur Bozikas has beta-thalassemia major, a rare genetic disorder that reduces the body’s ability to produce enough healthy red blood cells.
Although the 60-year-old was told he wouldn’t live to experience adulthood, medical discoveries and over 700 blood transfusions since birth have seen him live a fulfilling life.
But as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across Australia, the number of blood donations continues to drop, jeopardising the lives of people like Mr Bozikas.
“Car accidents are not going to stop, cancer is not going to stop, patients like myself are going to continue needing blood,” Mr Bozikas told ABC News.
According to the national broadcaster, only half the people making appointments end up giving blood and more than 4,500 appointments are not being filled every day.
In response, the Australian Red Cross are changing the rules to allow blood donations sooner after having COVID-19.
Until now, people who’ve had the virus had to wait until they were fully recovered plus another 28 days before giving blood.
But from Sunday, once you’re better you’ll just need to wait seven days before booking an appointment.
Iain Gosbell, who is the Director of Donor and Blood Safety at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, said this decision was a ‘safe’ one and he’s hoping more people will now consider helping others.
First announced in Federal Parliament as part of its 2019-20 Budget, the Greek Community of Melbourne’s Hellenic Chair in Diasporic Studies at the University of Melbourne has taken the next important step in its establishment by announcing that it is now on a global search for a leading academic to be appointed Chair in the Studies of the Hellenic Global Diaspora.
Importantly, the Chair will also bear the name of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM). This is an important step in the continued development of the GCM’s educational programs, which now range from pre-Prep through to Tertiary.
The $2.5 million grant that was secured by the GCM has been directly paid to the University of Melbourne and the University has in turn placed the moneys into a Trust Fund. The University is also contributing a substantial amount to fund the ongoing cost of running and administrating the Chair.
The Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison (sixth from left) with members of the GCM Board.
“We thank the Morrison Government for all of its support and efforts in helping realise the Chair,” the GCM said in a statement.
“We would like to also thank the University of Melbourne for its willingness to support and co-fund the Chair.
“It is also important to acknowledge the efforts of the GCM staff and Board members who contributed to the long run up. In particular, we acknowledge and thank GCM Board members, Costas Markos, Bill Papastergiadis OAM and Dr Nick Dallas and Professor Nikos Papastergiadis whose tireless efforts, enthusiasm and hard work were crucial in the establishment of the Chair.”
Dr Nick Dallas sits on the Committee for the Chair at Melbourne University.
The University of Melbourne.
The Melbourne University Chair complements the work the Greek Community of Melbourne has done with many others, including the Archdiocese, in saving and advancing Greek Studies at La Trobe University. Bill Papastergiadis and Spiros Papadopoulos continue to sit on the La Trobe University Greek Studies Board along with many other community persons.
In the statement, the GCM also added that the settlement has taken place with the new building at 272 Russell Street. The Russell Street building will extend the work of the Greek Centre housing a cultural Hub that will look to attract young and old alike.
The purchase was funded primarily by the Federal and State Government to help establish the Hub in the city near the Greek Centre.
Over 54,840 students in New South Wales received their Higher School Certificate (HSC) results at 6am this morning, signifying the end of their high school journey.
This year, 48 students got the highest possible ATAR of 99.95. One of them was Billy Bourdaniotis from St Spyridon College in Maroubra.
Speaking with The Sydney Morning Herald this morning, Billy said he didn’t expect a rank of 99.95 until he put his marks into an online ATAR calculator.
“I kept refreshing the UAC page to make sure it was real, to see if it would magically go down or something,” he said, adding that he called his parents as soon as he got his results and “they were ecstatic.”
Billy said this is the first time St Spyridon College has ever received a 99.95 ATAR. His first preference is to do a degree in actuarial studies at university.
“I’m just in shock, to be honest, I didn’t expect this at all,” he said.
And Billy isn’t alone. Picnic Point High student, Victoria Sakis, also received a 99.00 ATAR when HSC results were released this morning.
“My friend Henry and I were both hoping to get over 85, so I freaked out when I got my ATAR and my bands,” Victoria told the newspaper.
The Year 12 graduate now hopes to study Law at the University of New South Wales this year and is looking forward to getting the full university experience after two years of online learning.
Meanwhile, Isander Mesimeris from Sydney Grammar School also received a 99.95 ATAR this morning and he said it has given him a lot of options for deciding what he wants to do this year.
“I think I am going to go to Sydney University and study Arts and Law, or maybe a medicine degree… I am interested in a medicine degree even though I didn’t take any sciences,” Mesimeris said.
Isander Mesimeris.
Mesimeris, who also came first in the state in Classical Greek Continuers and Classical Greek Extension, said his other top priority moving into 2022 was to travel.
“I want the first ticket to France … I have spent so long learning the language and I have never been,” he said.
Alexander Watson from Newington College also achieved a high ATAR of 97.10, the Vice Captain of St Euphemia College, Phoebe Divanis, achieved an ATAR of 98.75, Sarah Anastasiou from St Catherine’s School Waverley received 99.45 ATAR, and Alix Anastasiadis from Kambala received an ATAR of 98.8.
These fantastic results come after The Greek Herald reported on Wednesday that seven Greek Australian students also came first in the state for their HSC subjects this year.
Other Distinguished Achievers:
St Spyridon College:
Alannah Vezos
Anna-Simone Mina
Anneta Maroulis
Athena Demetriou
Billy Bourdaniotis
Chanele Bteddini
Christo-Odysseus Keramitzis
Demi Micos
Elena Kaldis
Elise Georgiou
Elleni Mouskos
Franklin Pyliotis
George Nicholos
James Bletsas
Lexine Turner
Maria Angela Patsalis
Mary Diamond
Mihalis Dovellos
Stephen Koutoulogenis
Taylor Marinos
Teoni Antonopoulos
Valentina Spyridopoulos
Vicki Synesios
All Saints Grammar:
Abbigayle Botonakis-Borg
Alexandros Bardas
Deena Tzimoulas
Elizabeth Parzakonis
Gina Zhang
Macrina Stivaktas
Petroula Boulougouris
Samantha Gianoudis
Victoria Hatziergatis
Zoey Sampsonis
St Euphemia College:
Andjela Trazivuk
Christopher Thomas
Chrysovalantou Gabriella Giamas
Dimitra Galanopoulos
Dimitrios Vourtsanis
Eleftheria Papoutsaki
Grammatiki Moysiadou
Konstantinos Zisopoulos
Phoebe Divanis
Rafaella Kladis
Styliani Koliris
Vasos Kartambis
Zoe Anastasia Janes
*Please Note: The above students are those The Greek Herald could identify by their Greek name. If you believe you should be on this list, please send an email to info@foreignlanguage.com.au.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is investigating supply chain interference for rapid antigen tests (RAT) to businesses in South Australia.
This comes after The Advertiserexclusively revealed that millions of dollars of RAT tests bound for SA had gone missing, with interstate governments accused of requisitioning them at Sydney and Melbourne airports for their own staff.
According to the President of the Pharmacy Guild SA, Nick Panayiaris, orders have also failed to arrive at chemists, with the industry scrambling to catch up with public demand.
A rapid antigen test.
“It has become so bad outlets are having to take their phones off the hook to provide basic services like dispensing medicines,” Mr Panayiaris told the newspaper.
“One outlet had a $480,000 RATs confirmed order put off today… one supplier I talked to today has lost three flights entirely full of RAT tests.
“We are on the case every single day and being told there are none, and government is announcing every day around the country that they have millions.”
South Australian Premier, Steven Marshall, has called for an independent investigation into these claims.
The ACCC investigation comes after SA Premier, Steven Marshall, called for an independent investigation into the claims of interference on Wednesday.
Mr Marshall told FIVEaa that “any interference with our supply of rapid antigen tests to South Australia is completely and utterly unacceptable.”
“We’ve got to be doing everything we can to make sure that we’ve got the right access here in South Australia…” he said.
No government has yet admitted to using their emergency powers to requisition SA tests, and Mr Marshall said Victoria and NSW denied the claims.
